CyrusOne has released a new study showing that public perception of data centers is more positive than previously thought, with 93% of people surveyed having a favorable (51%) or neutral (42%) opinion. The survey, conducted by Censuswide at the request of CyrusOne, also revealed that positive perception increases among those who know they have a data center nearby.
Although the sector has grown significantly in Europe, it still faces challenges in meeting the growing demand for capacity, especially in terms of access to secure energy and suitable land. Concerns in local communities are evident, largely due to a lack of knowledge about the data center industry.
“Misconceptions ultimately lead to mistrust, which is why a deep understanding of public attitudes towards data centers is critical to ensuring we can continue to provide cutting-edge infrastructure to the businesses that depend on us and deliver significant benefits to the communities that welcome us. This was our impetus for conducting the survey and why we shared the results so widely,” says Matt Pullen, executive vice president and general manager of Europe at CyrusOne.
Data centers in Europe
The study shows that only 52% of people correctly understand the purpose of a data center. Additionally, many do not associate data centers with the digital services they use every day. For example, less than half (45%) of respondents correctly identified data centers as necessary for digital applications such as WhatsApp, social media and video conferencing tools, indicating that the sector has work to do to close this knowledge gap.
Despite similarities in attitudes across Europe, there are significant variations in public understanding and opinions between different markets. For example, only 38% of respondents in the UK correctly understood what data centers do, compared to 66% in Germany and 60% in the Netherlands and Ireland.
- Importance of economic benefits. The study highlights that the economic benefits of data centers are highly valued by respondents, with two-thirds (66%) recognizing that they create employment opportunities and 62% that they contribute to local economic growth. These percentages increase to 71% and 68%, respectively, among those who live near a data center. The results also show a correlation between economic benefits and public acceptance. For example, 83% of those who strongly agree that data centers create jobs would be willing to have one in their area, as would 85% of those who believe they contribute to economic growth.
CyrusOne analyzes public perception towards data centers in Europe
- Impact of community investment. Regarding community investment, 49% of respondents believe that investment in projects such as parks and playgrounds is a benefit of data centers, a percentage that rises to 58% among those who live near one. The three main services considered beneficial are: the construction of sports and children’s play facilities, the development of community gardens and the improvement of pedestrian areas
- Data center concerns. Although the results show that both the general and local population are aware of the negative impacts of data centers, the positive perception is greater. The most mentioned negative impacts were high energy consumption (40%), generation of electronic waste (33%) and land use (30%).
- Change in public perception. When respondents were asked what could improve their perception of data centers, the majority (83%) were open to changing their mind. The factors that would most influence a more positive perception include increasing employment opportunities (40%), creating public spaces such as parks and bike paths (37%) and local economic growth (31%).
